What’s the best time for a business to post on social media?

Having the perfect social media post is all and good, but is it going to get the exposure it deserves? Timing is crucial on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter because the lifespan of your posts on these platforms is fairly short.

Timing is dependent on a number of factors including your audience, the type of content and your overall goal. So, when are the best times to post on each platform?

Facebook

A post on Facebook usually reaches 75 per cent of its potential engagement in five hours, according to Wiselytics. This is because of Facebook’s complex News Feed algorithm, making your post timing absolutely crucial.

To get the most reach, Hootsuite says the best time to post on Facebook is between 12pm and 3pm on weekdays and between 12pm and 1pm on weekends. Thursdays and Fridays generally perform the best, with Saturday and Sunday your weaker days.

Instagram

Ever since Instagram changed its News Feed algorithm, timing has become very important. Instagram posts are ranked by the likelihood the audience will be interested in the content.

Think about what your target audience would be doing at that time of day. Are they likely to be working? Are they picking up the kids from school? Are they sitting classes at uni? Hootsuite says the best time for a business to post on Instagram is lunch time because you’re more likely to catch your audience in a moment of their spare time.

Twitter

Twitter is the hardest nut to crack because the half-life of your tweet is just 24 minutes. Wiselytics says a tweet reaches 75 per cent of its potential engagement in less than three hours.

You have a small window to play with, so think carefully before you tweet to the world. According to Hootsuite’s data, the best time to post is around 3pm on weekdays. That is when they have seen the highest amount of clicks and retweets.

One thing that should also be considered is the timezone of your audience. Are they in the same country? Are they on the other side of the world? Make a note of this in your social media strategy.